04/08/2025, 07:24 Rotate an Array by d - Counterclockwise or Left - GeeksforGeeks
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Rotate an Array by d - Counterclockwise or Left
Last Updated : 23 Jul, 2025
Given an array of integers arr[] of size n, the task is to rotate the array
elements to the left by d positions.
Examples:
Input: arr[] = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}, d = 2
Output: {3, 4, 5, 6, 1, 2}
Explanation: After first left rotation, arr[] becomes {2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 1}
and after the second rotation, arr[] becomes {3, 4, 5, 6, 1, 2}
Input: arr[] = {1, 2, 3}, d = 4
Output: {2, 3, 1}
Explanation: The array is rotated as follows:
After first left rotation, arr[] = {2, 3, 1}
After second left rotation, arr[] = {3, 1, 2}
After third left rotation, arr[] = {1, 2, 3}
After fourth left rotation, arr[] = {2, 3, 1}
Table of Content
[Naive Approach] Rotate one by one - O(n * d) Time and O(1)
Space
[Better Approach] Using Temporary Array - O(n) Time and O(n)
Space
[Expected Approach 1] Using Juggling Algorithm - O(n) Time and
O(1) Space
[Expected Approach 2] Using Reversal Algorithm - O(n) Time
and O(1) Space
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04/08/2025, 07:24 Rotate an Array by d - Counterclockwise or Left - GeeksforGeeks
[Naive Approach] Rotate one by one - O(n * d) Time and O(1)
Space
In each iteration, shift the elements by one position to the left in a
circular fashion (the first element becomes the last). Perform this
operation d times to rotate the elements to the left by d positions.
Illustration:
Let us take arr[] = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}, d = 2.
First Step:
=> Rotate to left by one position.
=> arr[] = {2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 1}
Second Step:
=> Rotate again to left by one position
=> arr[] = {3, 4, 5, 6, 1, 2}
Rotation is done 2 times.
So the array becomes arr[] = {3, 4, 5, 6, 1, 2}
C++ C Java Python C# Javascript
// C++ Program to left rotate the array by d positions
// by rotating one element at a time
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
// Function to left rotate array by d positions
void rotateArr(vector<int>& arr, int d) {
int n = arr.size();
// Repeat the rotation d times
for (int i = 0; i < d; i++) {
// Left rotate the array by one position
int first = arr[0];
for (int j = 0; j < n - 1; j++) {
arr[j] = arr[j + 1];
}
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int main() {
vector<int> arr = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 };
int d = 2;
rotateArr(arr, d);
for (int i = 0; i < arr.size(); i++)
cout << arr[i] << " ";
return 0;
}
Output
3 4 5 6 1 2
Time Complexity: O(n*d), the outer loop runs d times, and within each
iteration, the inner loop shifts all n elements of the array by one
position, resulting in a total of n*d operations.
Auxiliary Space: O(1)
[Better Approach] Using Temporary Array - O(n) Time and O(n)
Space
This problem can be solved using the below idea:
The idea is to use a temporary array of size n, where n is the
length of the original array. If we left rotate the array by d
positions, the last n - d elements will be at the front and the first
d elements will be at the end.
Copy the last (n - d) elements of original array into the first n -
d positions of temporary array.
Then copy the first d elements of the original array to the end
of temporary array.
Finally, copy all the elements of temporary array back into the
original array.
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Working:
1/4
Below is the implementation of the algorithm:
C++ C Java Python C# Javascript
// C++ Program to left rotate the array by d positions
// using temporary array
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
// Function to rotate vector
void rotateArr(vector<int>& arr, int d) {
int n = arr.size();
// Handle case when d > n
d %= n;
// Storing rotated version of array
vector<int> temp(n);
// Copy last n - d elements to the front of temp
for (int i = 0; i < n - d; i++)
temp[i] = arr[d + i];
// Copy
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temp[n - d + i] = arr[i];
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// Copying the elements of temp in arr
// to get the final rotated vector
for (int i = 0; i < n; i++)
arr[i] = temp[i];
}
int main() {
vector<int> arr = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 };
int d = 2;
rotateArr(arr, d);
// Print the rotated vector
for (int i = 0; i < arr.size(); i++)
cout << arr[i] << " ";
return 0;
}
Output
3 4 5 6 1 2
Time Complexity: O(n), as we are visiting each element only twice.
Auxiliary Space: O(n), as we are using an additional temporary array.
[Expected Approach 1] Using Juggling Algorithm - O(n) Time
and O(1) Space
The idea is to use Juggling Algorithm which is based on rotating
elements in cycles. Each cycle is independent and represents a
group of elements that will shift among themselves during the
rotation. If the starting index of a cycle is i, then next elements of
the cycle can be found at indices (i + d) % n, (i + 2d) % n, (i + 3d)
% n ... and so on till we return to the original index i.
So for any index i, we know that after rotation, the element that
will occupy this position is arr[(i + d) % n]. Consequently, for
every index in the cycle, we will place the element that should be
in that position after the rotation is completed.
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more about the implementation.
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Time Complexity: O(n)
Auxiliary Space: O(1)
[Expected Approach 2] Using Reversal Algorithm - O(n) Time
and O(1) Space
The idea is based on the observation that if we left rotate the
array by d positions, the last (n - d) elements will be at the front
and the first d elements will be at the end.
Reverse the subarray containing the first d elements of the
array.
Reverse the subarray containing the last (n - d) elements of
the array.
Finally, reverse all the elements of the array.
Working:
1/4
Below is the implementation of the algorithm:
C++ C Java Python C# JavaScript
// C++ Code to left rotate an array using Reversal Algorithm
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<bits/stdc++.h>
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using namespace std;
// Function to rotate an array by d elements to the left
void rotateArr(vector<int>& arr, int d) {
int n = arr.size();
// Handle the case where d > size of array
d %= n;
// Reverse the first d elements
reverse(arr.begin(), arr.begin() + d);
// Reverse the remaining n-d elements
reverse(arr.begin() + d, arr.end());
// Reverse the entire array
reverse(arr.begin(), arr.end());
}
int main() {
vector<int> arr = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 };
int d = 2;
rotateArr(arr, d);
for (int i = 0; i < arr.size(); i++)
cout << arr[i] << " ";
return 0;
}
Output
3 4 5 6 1 2
Time complexity: O(n), as we are visiting each element exactly twice.
Auxiliary Space: O(1)
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